“We are deeply shocked”: Designer of BMW Z8, Rolls-Royce and Land Rover killed by thief trying to steal his car collection

On July 12th, Ian Cameronformer head of design for BMW and Rolls-Royce, was murdered at his home in the Bavaria region near Munich, Germany. The cause of the incident is still unclear, but German police are considering the possibility that the murder took place after an attempted robbery.

Apparently, they tried to break into Cameron’s home to steal some of the classic cars from the designer’s collection that he kept in the garage. His wife, Varena Kloss, was able to escape from the house, but Cameron He received several stab wounds.

Ian Cameron was the father of the BMW Z8 and the Rolls-Royce Phantom, among others

After working for Pininfarina and Iveco, car designer Ian Cameron ended up working for the BMW Group from 1992. Within this company he carried out the most important work of his career, designing models for brands such as Land Rover, BMW and Rolls-Royce.

He was responsible for the design of some of what many consider to be the most beautiful BMW of recent decades, the BMW-Z8and also played an important role in the design of the BMW 3 Series E46.

In the center, Ian Cameron, in a brown jacket.

After passing through BMW, when the German company bought Rolls-Royce, he became the head of design for the British brand. During this period he was in charge of designing the Rolls-Royce Phantomthe car with which Rolls-Royce was reborn, as well as its derivatives, such as the Ghost or the Drophead Coupé.

He stepped down as Rolls-Royce’s chief designer in 2012 to make way for Giles Taylor, but remained at BMW as an ambassador for the BMW Group’s classic car division.

Last Friday, July 12, he was stabbed to death in his home in lago AmmerseePolice have still not been able to find the perpetrator of the murder, who was apparently planning to steal one of the classic cars owned by the former BMW and Rolls-Royce designer. The incident is currently under investigation.

Speaking to the media Automotive NewsBMW said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news about our former Rolls-Royce designer. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during these difficult times.”

Rolls-Royce said: “Ian played a significant role in shaping Rolls-Royce since the brand was first acquired by the BMW Group and moved to its headquarters in Goodwood, West Sussex. He created thoroughly contemporary cars that were sympathetic to the brand’s design lineage. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”